Pwdre Ser

Observed: 21st October 2011 By: tomdadom

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Added: 30th October 2011

Description:

This 'jelly' appears every autumn in the mountains of Snodownia. The Welsh call it Pwdre Ser (Star Jelly) because its appearance coincides with the Perseus meteor shower.It is well documented but nobody seems to know what it is.

I have only ever encountered this stuff in mountains and in heathland. If this resulted from mating slugs I would expect to see it in my garden and not high up in heathland. Possible though I suppose - thanks

This has been reported on our local BBC tv station and they have said the same plus sent some off for analysis,They said stuff left from rutting deer,frogs, ufo, Otter so really no idea but I would go for frogs myself.

Frogs and otters are highly unlikely to be found in the areas I have found this, high up and / or some distance from a waterbody! Deer are uncommon in the Carneddau range and is also an unlikely explanation. I think anything resulting from an amphibian, otter or deer can be discounted. Sheep?! There have always been lots of these around in the areas I have found it - but that may just be because it is Wales.

Previous analysis at Macaulay institute showed no DNA was present. Supposedly slime derived from alga would contain DNA. However, we cannot be sure the stuff sent for analysis is the same as the stuff I always find in wales, plus the results were considred to be inconclusive due to contamination. I am not convinced by alga somehow, it just doesn't have the same kind of consistency as any slime mould or similar that I have found.

What needs to be done is to examine the under side and see if it has been squirted up from the ground. Also the earth would need to be examined to see if there is anything below. The ground in the surrounding area would need to be examined for any tracks. the volume of the stuff looks too big for slugs or frogs. It could be some kind of secretion that absorbs moisture from the air and swelling up so this would involve examining the weather as well.
There is a lot more to do here.